Page 15 of Little Dark Deeds (Georgiana Germaine #12)

J ordan excused himself for a moment, leaving the office and returning with a variety of soda options.

Setting them on the desk, he looked at me, gesturing to the drink offerings as he asked if I wanted anything.

I didn’t have soda often, but today my throat was dry.

Thinking something fizzy might help, I reached for the orange flavor and cracked it open, thanking him.

He grabbed one for himself and sat back down.

“I owe you an apology,” he said. “I’ve been friends with Tyler for many years, and I’m sorry if I wasn’t honest with you. It’s not who I am, but this situation has left me in a bit of a predicament. I could have handled it better, and I didn’t.”

“You were trying to protect him. I get it.”

“I also wasn’t aware the news about Tyler and Tiffany’s relationship had gotten out.”

“What do you know about the affair?”

He set the can of soda on the desk, tapping a finger against the can, thinking. “I realize my dishonesty has left you with no reason to trust me, but believe me when I say, if you’re thinking Tyler had anything to do with the death of your friend, he did not.”

It was just what a person protecting their friend would say, preferring to see them in the best possible light instead of entertaining the notion everyone had a breaking point—even Tyler.

“How long have you known about the affair between Tyler and Tiffany?” I asked.

“Not long. Tyler came into work one morning, and right away, I could tell something was off. Most days, the first thing he does when he gets here is to come to my office and greet me. That day, he went to his office and shut the door, even though he knew I was here.”

“Did you speak to him?”

“Yeah, I went to his office and tried to make small talk. He told me he hadn’t been sleeping well, but he didn’t say why.”

“You didn’t ask?”

“Maybe I should have, but no, I didn’t. A few days later, when I got to work, he was sitting in my office, waiting for me to get here. That’s when he told me about Tiffany.”

At long last, we were getting somewhere.

Now I just needed to keep him talking.

“What did Tyler say about their relationship?”

“I don’t think I should keep talking about it. I feel uncomfortable, like I’d be betraying his trust any more than I already have.”

“If the police haven’t already spoken to Tyler, they will, and they’ll ask the same questions I’m asking you now. Whether the truth comes out today or tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. It will come out.”

“Even if it does, I’d feel a whole lot better if it came from him, not me.”

I may not have liked his answer, but I respected it.

I decided to take a different approach, changing the subject in hopes of finding a way to circle back, asking the same question but in a different way, a tactic I called the Dodge and Confuse.

“Do you know why Tyler hasn’t turned up for work yet today and why he wasn’t here to meet his client?” I asked. “Not being here for a client isn’t a good look.”

“All I know is what I’ve already told you.”

“Still, you must have thought it was odd, given Lila told me Tyler often gets to work before she does in the morning.”

“I didn’t question why he couldn’t be here, but I did ask if everything was all right. He said we’d talk later. Beyond that, I didn’t press him for details.” He paused, then added, “I suppose it’s my turn to ask you a question. What can you tell me about Jana’s meeting with Tiffany?”

“They had an open, honest conversation, from what I’ve been told.

Afterward, Jana confronted Tyler. She confessed she knew about the affair and told him she’d been to see Tiffany.

He asked Jana for a divorce. Then he went to see Tiffany.

He told her he’d asked for a divorce, and he tried to keep her from ending their relationship, but she did anyway.

Speaking of their relationship, I don’t know much about it. Anything you could tell me would help.”

Jordan raised a brow. “Before I knew about Tiffany, I thought Tyler’s relationship with Jana was solid. Then he admitted to falling in love with Tiffany, said he was struggling with what to do about it.”

For all we knew, he could have been having an affair with multiple women.

“I didn’t know he’d fallen in love with her,” I said. “She felt he was someone she could have a future with, until she learned about Jana.”

“I was shocked when he told me. It didn’t seem like the Tyler I know.”

“What doesn’t sound like the Tyler you know?”

I’d been so involved in our conversation, I hadn’t realized the office door had just opened, and Jordan and I were no longer alone. I turned, recognizing Tyler from photos Tiffany had shown me.

He looked disheveled, like he’d been running his fingers through his hair all day. His collared shirt wasn’t buttoned right, with one side hanging lower than the other. And his eyes were red and bloodshot, full of emotion.

Upon seeing Tyler, Jordan rose from his chair, his voice low and sheepish as he walked toward him.

“Hey, bud, how’s it going?” Jordan asked.

Tyler shrugged him off, glaring at him.

Then he turned his attention on me.

“Who are you?” Tyler asked. “And why are the two of you sitting here talking about me?”

“It’s not what you think,” Jordan said. “We weren’t talking about you. Well ... that is to say, we were, but it was just a casual conversation. I can explain.”

“Sounds to me like this woman just said something about me, and you didn’t disagree.”

Jordan shot me a nervous look, like he wasn’t sure how to get himself out of his current predicament.

“Maybe I should start by telling you my name,” I said. “I’m Georgiana Germaine.”

Tyler blinked at me. “I’ve heard of you before ... I just don’t know from where.”

“If I had to guess, Tiffany told you about me,” I said.

“ Tiffany ?”

“Tiffany Wheeler, your former client.”

“Ah, yes, that Tiffany.”

It was a laidback remark, like she was someone he didn’t know well.

“I’m a private investigator,” I said. “And given Tiffany was one of my close friends, I’m involved in the investigation of her murder. I came here this morning hoping to talk to you, but you weren’t here, so I chatted with Jordan in the meantime.”

“A chat about me, by the sounds of it. As far as Tiffany’s murder, I don’t have any information that will help you or the police.”

It had taken me so long to get anywhere with Jordan, I didn’t have the mental capacity to go another round—this time with Tyler.

“Can we skip the part where you tell me you didn’t know her well or not on a personal level, and just get to the point?” I asked. “You were having an affair with her. She told me, her father told me. Her father also said the two of you have met, when you all had dinner together.”

Tyler leaned against the wall, crossing his arms in front of him. “You’re right, but I wouldn’t call it an affair.”

“What would you call it, then?”

“I’m not sure I can think of the right words to explain what we were doing, but it was real. To me, anyway. What else do you know?”

“Your wife went to see Tiffany to tell her she knew about the affair. Then she talked to you, and according to her, you asked for a divorce. You then tried to salvage what you had with Tiffany, but you failed, and she ended the relationship.”

He didn’t respond, just stood there gnawing on his lower lip.

I waited.

Some time passed, then he said, “Everything you just said is correct, with the exception of one thing.”

“And what’s that?”

“She may have ended the relationship, but I thought I could win her back over time.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because the last time we spoke, she told me she still loved me.”